The UAE is ruled by divine revelations coded into what is called Sharia Law. Homosexuality is illegal with jail terms of up to fourteen years.
After being garlanded with flowers and feted by the surfing world following her win at Pipeline yesterday, the queer two-time world champ Tyler Wright must now face her biggest challenge – testing the notoriously harsh anti-LGBT+ laws in the United Arab Emirates, site of next weekend’s wave tank event.
Pointedly, for Tyler Wright, who is married to Lilli Baker, under Sharia same-sex sexual activity can be punishable by death, especially for married individuals.
Four months ago, Tyler’s little brother Mikey launched a wild fusillade against the World Surf League after it unveiled the 2025 world tour, which included the event at the Abu Dhabi tank.
“You have no business putting on an event at a location where my sister can be sentenced by law with the death penalty. So much for equality and equal rights, only when it’s convenient to wsl. You have supported the LGBTQ flag on her shoulder but now you want to strip it and be hush hush to get her to a location that she’s at risk of this punishment. You have the responsibility to protect your athletes, interested to see how you think you can protect her against the law.”
Tyler Wright’s sister-in-law, Shenay, Mikey’s wife, added, “Nice to see you guys are factoring in the safety of the contestants lives when choosing locations.”
Still, while the UAE’s legal system theoretically allows for capital punishment for same-sex sexual activity under certain interpretations, in practice, there have been no verified reports of such sentences being carried out.
You might get one to fifteen in the can for being gay in the UAE, however.
As JP Currie beautifully put it,
“And so we move. From leis and aching green palm fronds to sapless sandy heat and guttural desert smoke. From surfing’s Mecca, the seven-mile-miracle to surfing’s apocalyptic nightmare. Slave pools and oily obscenity.”
Thoughts and prayers for all LGBTQ+ surfers, men included, although oowee gonna be hot in that closet, as the tour makes its Arabian debut.